HC calls AIIMS doc on kid?s complaint

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought personal appearance of the Medical Superintendent of AIIMS to explain why the premier hospital was fighting shy to furnish information on the blood transfusion of a 14-year-old boy.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought personal appearance of the Medical Superintendent of AIIMS to explain why the premier hospital was fighting shy to furnish information on the blood transfusion of a 14-year-old boy, who reportedly contracted HIV due to contaminated blood.

Terming as “absurd” the plea of AIIMS that the information was confidential, Justice Vikramjit Sen posted the matter for further hearing to May 11.

The victim who was nine years old at the time of his admission to the hospital in July 2000 for treatment of cancer, allegedly contracted HIV due to transfusion of contaminated blood.

In 2001, the father of the boy filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the alleged goof-up.

Though AIIMS has denied the charge as baseless, it was at the same time unwilling to divulge the identity of the donor whose blood was transfused to the victim.

Counsel for AIIMS Mukul Gupta argued that information of the donor cannot be disclosed by the hospital as it was under the moral obligation of protecting "doctor-patient confi dentiality."